CM Sai marks Chhattisgarh Rajyotsav with Naxal-free milestone
Synopsis
On Chhattisgarh's 26th Rajyotsav, CM Vishnu Deo Sai amplified Home Minister Amit Shah's tribute crediting Vajpayee for creating the state and Modi for developing it, with Shah congratulating residents — especially tribal communities — on Chhattisgarh becoming Naxal-free.
Key Takeaways
Chhattisgarh marked its 26th Rajyotsav on 1 November 2026 , commemorating its creation as India's 26th state on 1 November 2000 under PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee .
Union Home Minister Amit Shah credited PM Narendra Modi with 'beautifying' and developing Chhattisgarh after Vajpayee's founding act.
Shah extended special congratulations to tribal communities , citing the state's progress toward becoming Naxal-free .
CM Vishnu Deo Sai , himself from a tribal background, amplified the message as part of #CGRajyotsav2026 celebrations.
The Naxal insurgency had its sharpest impact in districts like Bastar , where successive security operations and development programmes have reported declining incidents.
Twenty-six years after Atal Bihari Vajpayee signed Chhattisgarh into existence, the state is celebrating its Rajyotsav with a claim that would have seemed distant in the years of Bastar ambushes and jungle warfare: freedom from Naxal insurgency. Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai marked the occasion on Tuesday, 3 November 2026, by sharing words of Union Home Minister Amit Shah that stitched together the BJP's founding act of state creation and what the party presents as its finishing work — a Naxal-free Chhattisgarh walking the road of development.
Shah's tribute: Vajpayee built it, Modi shaped it
The quote CM Sai amplified was sharp and deliberate. Amit Shah said: 'Atal ji ne Chhattisgarh ko banaya aur Modi ji ne Chhattisgarh ko sanwarne ka kaam kiya' — 'Atal ji created Chhattisgarh and Modi ji did the work of beautifying it.' Shah then extended congratulations to the people of Chhattisgarh, 'especially our tribal brothers and sisters,' on the state having moved forward on the path of development by becoming Naxal-free.
The framing is precise: Vajpayee's government carved Chhattisgarh out of Madhya Pradesh on 1 November 2000, making it India's 26th state. What followed were two decades of lethal Left Wing Extremism concentrated in districts like Bastar, where coordinated security operations and central development programmes have, according to government assessments, dramatically reduced Naxal incidents over successive years.
Tribal communities at the centre of the Rajyotsav message
The specific mention of janjatiya bhai-behan — tribal brothers and sisters — is not incidental. Chhattisgarh carries one of the country's largest tribal populations, and the communities of Bastar and surrounding regions bore the sharpest edge of the insurgency for decades. Roads blocked, schools burned, young men recruited or killed — the toll was disproportionately theirs.
Any genuine shift in the security environment therefore lands differently for these communities than it does in a state capital press release. CM Sai, himself from a tribal background, has consistently made that connection central to his political messaging since taking office.
A BJP narrative arc two decades in the making
The #CGRajyotsav2026 messaging reflects a broader pattern in how BJP leaders tell the story of Chhattisgarh: Vajpayee as founding father, Modi as the leader who delivered the infrastructure, welfare schemes and security muscle to make statehood meaningful. Amit Shah, as the minister directly responsible for internal security and Left Wing Extremism policy, is the logical voice to announce — or celebrate — a Naxal-free milestone.
What comes next will be closely watched: the rollout of additional infrastructure and welfare projects in former Naxal-affected blocks, and any independent assessment of whether the security gains hold across the state's most remote corners.
Chhattisgarh's 26th Rajyotsav is being marked not just as a birthday, but as a turning point. Whether history confirms that framing will be written in the years ahead — in the forests of Bastar as much as the corridors of Raipur.
Point of View
Modi as the deliverer, with Shah providing the security imprimatur. By centring tribal communities in the Naxal-free declaration, the party signals that its core tribal-welfare pitch in a crucial state is backed by a tangible security dividend. The framing also positions Chhattisgarh as a model for the Centre's Left Wing Extremism policy nationwide. Whether the milestone endures will test both the security architecture and the development pipeline in Bastar's remotest blocks.
NationPress
3 Nov 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
When was Chhattisgarh formed as a separate state?
Chhattisgarh was created as India's 26th state on 1 November 2000 , carved out of Madhya Pradesh under Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee .
What did Amit Shah say about Chhattisgarh on Rajyotsav 2026?
Amit Shah said that Vajpayee created Chhattisgarh and Modi did the work of developing it, and congratulated residents — especially tribal communities — on the state becoming Naxal-free and advancing on the path of development.
What is Chhattisgarh Rajyotsav?
Chhattisgarh Rajyotsav is the annual statehood day celebration held on 1 November each year, marking the day the state was formally established in 2000 .
Who is Vishnu Deo Sai and why is he significant for tribal communities?
Vishnu Deo Sai is the Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh and a BJP leader who himself comes from a tribal background, making his messaging on tribal welfare and security particularly resonant in the state.
Which district in Chhattisgarh was most affected by Naxal violence?
Bastar and its surrounding districts in southern Chhattisgarh were historically the most severely affected by the Naxalite insurgency, with communities facing decades of violence before successive security and development drives reported a decline in incidents.
